Apple – Eminem – Lugz Lawsuit Triangle

US footwear manufacturer Lugz, has not so politely asked Apple to withdraw their latest iPod television commercial featuring hip hop mogul Eminem.

Lugz claims that the advertisement possesses a striking resemblance to their 2002 ad that also featured black silhouettes on a red, orange and yellow background with a hip hop soundtrack.

‘If you look at these spots, common sense would tell you that there’s a problem here,’ said Larry Schwartz, EVP for Lugz. ‘The Apple commercial uses the most powerful elements of our campaign, making the ads disturbingly similar.’ He said that a legal remedy would be ‘vigorously’ sought.

But this is not the first time Apple has faced legal action over an iPod ad featuring Eminem. In the first occasion the complaint came from the rapper himself (of all people) who said that Apple has used one of his songs without permission. The company reportedly settled to the beat of several millions of dollars, though details have not been made public.